Talk derby to me - NorCal Roller Girls love the sport

Roller derby is a rough contact sport, and that's the way the all-girl teams like it.

"I love the feeling the next day when it hurts so bad it feels like you've been in a car accident," said Gini "Lunachick" Lehrman, who works in a California county psychiatric ward.

She came to Reno for Saturday's roller derby skating at Roller Kingdom between two traveling teams made up of mostly the NorCal Roller Girls league from Chico, Calif., and Redding, Calif.

Special teams Pirate's Booty and Crazed Anatomy were formed for the event.

Players were selected from Vendetta Dawls, Angry Beavers, Anti-Sorority Sisters, Messy Betty's, Rough Riders and Nevada's Battle Born Derby Demons.

Messy Betty's team captain, and team captain for Pirate's Booty, Ronda "Kutt Throat Kandie" Reid broke her tailbone, sprained two thumbs and pulled a leg ligament in previous falls.

Since the team was formed in February, her other Messy Betty's teammates have suffered forearm compound fractures, broken knees, bruised lungs and knocked out teeth.

This is no game for fragile fairy-princesses, but that doesn’t stop players from flaunting their feminine flair. Many wore dark eye shadow, short skirts and fishnet stockings. “Lunachick” Lehrman zipped around the rink in a puffy tulle skirt and stylish bobbed brown hair tucked under her helmet.

Strategy and agility are vital for the roller derby.

Each team has four blockers and one jammer on the track during a bout.

A jammer must first pass all their opponents be eligible to score points.

Then, they must clear the pack of blockers again to score. Each round or "jam" typically lasts about two minutes.

While blockers try to stand solidly together on wheels, the often faster and more nimble jammers will try to break through or skate around the pack.

Reid, a disk jockey for a two radio stations in Chico, Calif., said there are limits to the violence on the rink.

Pushing is not allowed and hitting with forearms and elbows is against the rules.

Reid said 98 percent of injuries are caused by falling incorrectly.

Players must have insurance from USA Roller Sports to play. An ambulance was parked in front of the rink on Saturday.

"We have too much fun," said Lois "Rosie Rampage" Peitz, who played on Pirate's Booty. "I'm surprised we're allowed to have this much fun."

Humor and on-rink personalities are a large part of the sport as well.

One of the most well-known Chico derby girls, Jessica "Flica Flame" Smith, stared in CBS's most recent season of "Survivor."

Smith, a team captain to last year's undefeated team the Voodoo Dolls, came to Reno to support her former teammates.

She said she's enjoying the fame that eight weeks as a "Survivor" cast member has brought her and the sport she loves.

"People come to see the action," Smith said. "I think people have an image of roller derby girls, but I'm very laid-back. What happens on the rink stays on the rink, and then, we party afterwards."

Reid said new derby groups are spring up all the time, and there's 600 to 700 groups nationwide.

Players said they hope to watch Northern Nevada grow into its own league.

While many girls won't come back after their first try, Reid said it helps others stand up for themselves and builds confidence.

"I watched it when I was 4 years old, and it's the reason I put on skates," Reid said. "For most of these girls it's a way to get away from their day-to-day stress, their issues, their life. It's a great release of stress. Everything else doesn't seem to matter now that I do roller derby."